Torrey Pines Open

Last weekend was the Farmer`s Insurance Torrey Pines Open Golf Tournament. This was previously the Buick Open and before that the Andy William`s Open. The tournament is at Torrey Pines Golf Course, which is a public course.This is one of the nicest settings in San Diego. The course sits on a bluff above the ocean and the views are spectacular. I can only imagine what people in other parts of the United States and the world must think when they watch this. Here we are at a golf tournament in shorts and a short sleeve shirt while people back east are fighting snow and ice. There were whales and dolphins out in the ocean and some brave souls paragliding at the nearby Torrey Pines Gliderport*. Anyway, we went on Saturday to avoid the larger Sunday crowds that are always present for the final round. It is a fun event to walk around at and see some of the golfers in person that you see on television regularly. Another successful San Diego day. For more information on Torrey Pines Golf Course go to  http://www.torreypinesgolfcourse.com/ .

*The Torrey Pines Gliderport is just south of the golf course and is another great place to visit. The gliderport is possibly the best in North America. As long a there is wind there are paragliders and hang gliders. We enjoy having lunch there at the Cliff Hanger Cafe and watching the action above the ocean. The Cliff Hanger has great burgers and sandwiches with outside tables for dining. See http://www.flytorrey.com/ for more information. Enjoy!

Gas Lamp and Seaport Village

The Gaslamp District of downtown San Diego is known as a great night spot. The Gaslamp is located between Fourth and Tenth Avenues and Broadway and Harbor Drive. The district boasts a large number of restaurants and clubs. There is live music throughout the area most nights. The old buildings have been remodeled to their former glory days of 100 plus years ago. Many have placards noting their ages and historic uses.
We have been to the Gaslamp many times during the day and night. Last Saturday we took a stroll in the late morning. We noticed how clean the streets and sidewalks were after what was surely a busy Friday night. It was also nice to find easy parking. This is never the case at night. Shops and restaurants were open and there were a few walking tour groups seeing the sites. Saturday morning is not a real exciting time to visit the Gaslamp, but it was still fun to walk around. For more information visit http://www.gaslamp.org/

Next we decided to go over to Seaport Village and have some lunch on the bay. It is one of the better daytime shopping areas of San Diego. This is a great destination for tourists and locals alike. It seems that we can never get enough of the sites along the bay boardwalk at Seaport. For more information visit http://www.seaportvillage.com/ It is great to have places like these to visit. Enjoy San Diego!

Hillcrest Farmer`s Market-Del Mar Beach-South Cedros

The Hillcrest Farmer`s Market is one of the better farmer`s markets in San Diego. Hillcrest is kind of a bohemian area with people of diverse lifestyles. The farmer`s market is located on Normal Street just north of University Avenue. The market has lots of different vendors, but the patrons are the fun part. If you like people watching, you need to check this market out. After purchasing our fresh mushrooms and various vegetables, we decided to have lunch at the beach.

Del Mar Beach is a beautiful beach and The Poseidon Restaurant has always been a favorite. The restaurant is one of the few that is actually at the beach. The outside patio has a great view and the food is usually good. I went for the calamari sandwich and french fries. After lunch a walk on the beach was in order. It was another one of those wonderful San Diego days. Imagine 75 degrees and sunny in January. This beach allows dogs. On the north end of the beach the dogs do not need to be on a leash. When you see a dog running free on the beach, he seems to have a smile on his face or at least the owner does. The homes along this stretch of beach are some of the most expensive in San Diego County.

After the beach, it was still early (2:00), so we took a walk down South Cedros in Solana Beach. This street is famous for the Belly  Up Tavern, but there are lots of shops open during the day and a farmer`s market on Sunday afternoons. South Cedros is located just east of the Coast Highway and south of Lomas Santa Fe Drive in Solana Beach. It is one of those hidden gems that should not be missed.
Another great San Diego Day. Enjoy!

Old Poway Park and Farmers Market

Saturdays are a good day to visit Old Poway Park off Midland Road in Poway. There is a farmers market from 8:00-11:30 each Saturday morning. The farmers market is not the largest in San Diego, but it is a very well run market in a nice setting with sufficient vendors to be interesting. Many of the same vendors have been coming to the Poway market for many years. Old Poway Park has a museum, a few restored homes from the turn of the twentieth century and a railroad with a 1907 Baldwin No. 3 steam locomotive. Your children will love to ride the train and you will not be disappointed with the park setting. There are large trees, a picnic area and a small stream that runs through the park.To make things even better the Hamburger Factory is located within the park so you can get a great meal. The Hamburger Factory is open from 7:00 am until 9:00 pm daily. The park is always a great place for a morning stroll any time of year. Enjoy!

Zoo and Balboa Park

The `World Famous` San Diego Zoo is always a great place to walk around. We have been there so many times that a map should be out of the question. But that was not the case as there are always changes. It seems that every year they add or upgrade an exhibit. I once heard that the value of the plants is almost as much as the animals. You need to walk in order to fully appreciate the zoo and because of the hilly terrain you will get a bit of a workout. After a zoo trip it is great to explore Balboa Park. The architecture is interesting and there are a variety of museums to choose from. There is enough to see without even entering a building with all of the fountains, plants and vendors. The Zoo and Balboa Park are truly one of the great assets that San Diego has to offer. For more information on the zoo go to http://www.sandiegozoo.org/ . Enjoy!